Torpedo-controlling device



No. sleaze.

4 V Patented Feb. 7, I899.- W. D.LIT CHFIELD.

TonPEno eoNTRoLLlNe nE'ylcE.

(Application Sled Ag. 30, 1897. Renewed Nov. 17, 1898.) (No Mo'del.)

. 3 Sheets-Sheet l.

To Reel am Opera/Cor.

4 T0 Reel /1 emi Olemlbr GYpuIXLded/ 'om Hull.,

N0. .6|9,02v3. Patented Feb. 7, |899. W.-D. LITCHFIELD. A TORPEDCONTROLLING DEVICE.

(Application filed Aug; 30, 1897. Renewed Nov. 17,` 1898.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(Nd Model.)

'I No. 619,023'. Patented Feb.; |899.

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.TORPEDO- CDANTROLLING DEVICE.

(Application filed Aug. 30, 1897. Renewed Nov. 17, 189B.) (No Model.) v3Sheets-Sheat 3.

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SPECIFICTIGN forming part of Letters Patent No. 619,023, dated February7, 1899.

. Application tiled August 30, 1897. Renewed November` 17, 1898, SerialNo. 696,738. v(No model.) i

T0 @ZZ wit-0m it may concern.:

Be it ln own that l, WALTER I). LITCHFIELD, of Somerville, in the countyof Middlesex and State of Massachusetts', have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Torpedo- Controlling Devices, of which thefollowing is a specification. f

This invention relates to 'dirigible torpedoes of the 'self-propellingtype; and itv has for its object to provide a controlling device wherebyboth the guiding and" propelling mechanism contained in the torpedo maybe operated from the shore, or from a ship, or frrm any point at adistance from the tor- The term torpedo is intended to include anymarine vessel carrying or adapted to carry anA explosive, andas thc1description proceeds it will be observed that my invention possessesfeatures which render it'applicable'to any automobile body movingin aHuid-medium. l f

To the end of `accomplishingi the object stated the invention consistsincertain features of construction and arrangement,\vhich I shall proceedto explain with the aid of the accompanying drawings and then -point outin the claims hereto appended.

Figure 1 of the drawings'represents a diagrammatic View Otan electricalcontrolling device constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2represents a detail view of one of the ratchet movements. Fig. 3represents a side elevation of a torpedo, showing' the controllingelectric cable.V Fig. 4 represents a diagrammatic view showing only suchparts 'and circuits as are necessary to illustrate the operation of thedevice.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts'or Vfeaturesin theseveral figures.

The piece of' apparatus illustrated in the drawings is designed togiveabsolnte 'control of a dirigible torpedo, atorpedo-boat,or,in4 fact,any craft or tfessel which itis desired to sendout from the shore orfrom a ship 'and stilly keep the control in the hands Aoi" an opcraterwho is not on board, but who may be Aon the shore, in another boat, orat any temporaryl base. It consists of a switchboard, which is containedin the torpedo or torpedoboat Vor other vessel (hereinafter -for thesake ci brevity i will ie that it is a tcrpeda) an electric batterydivided into convenient oec tions for operating said switchboard, whichbattery is also in the torpedo, and a reel of 55 wire or cable soattached to the torpedo that asthe torpedo advances or movesv awayfromthe operator this reel'will unwind the wire which it contains, thusallowing the operator to keep the end of it in, his hand and be in 6oconstant communication with the, torpedo whether itbe moving orstanding` still. This reelvis wound with what is technically known astwin wire-that is to say, the one' out-- side insulating-coveringcontainstwo wires 63 or cables, which are made up separately v and wellinsulated and then put side by side' and covered with the inalinsulatingcoveri'ngl This makesup asingle cable E, Fig. 3, whichcontains two electric conductors. eachinsu- 7o lated from the other.rlhe center or cole ci the reel contains at each end an insu-lated andwater-tight bearing, in which there is an electrical contact. When thewire is wound onto this reel, the inner end of each of these two cir- 75 cuits inthe wire is connected to the electrical contact-points inthecore of the reel, one wire going to one of the contact-points and theother to the other contact-point. 'lhe outside or stationary contactmember is in cach case 3a carried on into the hull' ofthe torpedo bymeans of insulated wires, which run. te the proper binding-posts orternn'nalsI on the switchboard. Thisallows the operatorio keep inconnection with the torpedo by means of 85 twoelectrlc conductors, whichwill not-twist off as the reel is payingout its ezt-ble. \\'hcn thetorpedo ls'working in salt water or water B11 ilicielitly allmlineto bea conductor nl' electricity, both of these reel-conductors are olthc 9osame polarltyand the water forms the common return forboth; but in waterwhich is not a goed electrical conductor one wire becomes thereturn-circuit'for theother. 'lhis is more fully explained later'on.Alhesw wires which 95 the operatorhas are connected after leaving thereel and running on into 'the hull to thel su-'itchboard` toelectromagnets, which are inarkedB. and R2 and which I shall hereinaftercall the relay-magnets ors-imply rcroo lays, their functions beine,rsimilar to' those of a relay in telegraph work. lirom these magnets thecircuits run to the battery, exccptas explained later,and'then to the hull of thev boat to anything.

or to any metallic point which is always the water` The armatures ofthese relays are so ,arranged that when drawn toward the magnet theybring together two contact members which close another electricalcircuit which has no electrical connection with the first or relaycircuits. This circuit'- closing ytakes place at the switches S' S2 andin each case 'volving arm A or A2 to move through onesx-teenth of acomplete revolution, there being vsixteen teeth on each ratchet. Aboutthe circles described by the ends of these revolving arms are in eachcircle sixteen metallic contact-points P P2, so placed that when the`arm A' or A2 comes to rest after each movement its trailer d4 isresting fairly on one ol` these points. Eight of the points in each'circle (alternate ones) are blanks or deadpoints--that is, are notconnected electrically The other eight lpoints of one circle areconnected with magnets h h' h2, operating switches H H2 and latches L L,which cause the torpedo to go ahead, to stop, or to back, while thepoints of the other circle are connected with magnets g' g2, operatingswitches G G2, which cause the torpedo to steer to port or to starboard,as the case may be. One circle will hereinafter be called themotor-circle and the other the ruddercircle, (marked C' and C2,-respectively.)

On the motor-circle the vsequence of evolutions beginning at, say, 3 is3,\stop; 4, blank; 5, back;, blank; 7, stop; 8, blank; 9, ahead; 10,blank; 11, stop; 12,blank; 13, bat-.kg 14, blank; 15, stop; 16, blank;l, ahead; 2, blank. When either the ahead or back switch is pulled downby its magnet, it is caught and held down by a latch L. These twolatches are so fastened to the armature of the electromagnet H that whenthis magnet isv energized by the trailer of the motor-circle arm Acoming in 'contact with any one of the points 3, 7, 11, or 15r both ofthe latches are drawn back, allowing either the ahead switch H or theback switch H2 to fly up and break contact, and thus stop the machinegoing ahead or backing, 'as the case may be. The advantage of employingthe latches to hold down the switches is that the moment the operatorstarts the torpedo, say, going ahead he can move the motor-circle armaround one more notch, thus bringing it onto a blank spot and saving thebatterys continually working through the magnet-coils.4 it is not only asaving of battery, but of the magnets themselves.

'When neither ofthe steering-switches G circle C.

or G2 is closed, the rudder is brought back amidships, thus Vsteeringthe torpedo straight ahead, and as there are no latches on these 7oswitches they open at all the alternate points on the steering-ci rcle,thus steering a straight y course without drawing on the battery.

The reference-letters b to bis,- inclusive,

Fig. 1, representa series of binding-posts conh and with thecontact-point 9 on the motor- 85 circle C'. Binding-post b5A isconnected by wire c5 with the contact-point l on the circle C.Binding-post b6 is connected 'by wires c6 and d6 with the port-magnet g'and with the contact-points 3, 7, 11, and 15 on the steer- 9o ing-circleC2.y Binding-post b" is connected V by wires c", d7, and e7 with thestop magnet h and with the contact-points 3 and 7 on the 'circle C'.Binding-post bs is connected by wire o8 with the contact-points 11 and15 on A95V the circle 0'.' Binding-post b9 is connected by wires o9 and@Z9 with the starboard-magnet g2 and with the contact-points 1, 5, 9,and 13 on the circle C2. Binding-post b1 is connected -by wire olo withthe contact-point 13 rco on the circle C. Binding-post b is connected bywire c, d, and e with the f back magnet h2 and with the contact-point 5on the Binding-post b2 is connected by wire 012 with the'trailer-arm A2.l post bis is connected by wires cl3, d, and e13 with magnets g', g2, h,h', and 71,2 and with the "trailer-arm A.

These bindingposts form part of a multiple two-Way switch, which,

as here shown, comprises a series of brushes no f f2, &c., connectedwith the several bind-. ing-posts, and a cylinder k, composed of aninsulating substance, in which are embedded two series of metalliccontact-plates lm, and n.

The cylinder 7c is mounted in suitable bearx15 ings and is provided witha handle-cwhereby it may be rotated to bring eitherT the one or theother series of contact-plates under the brushes. When the vecontact-plates m are under the brushes, the switch is in what-I 12o termits salt-water position-that is, the apparatus is then ready for usevwith two separate controlling-circuits having a water return. When thefour contact-plates n are under the brushes, the switch is in its freshr25 water position, or, in other words.` the apparatus is then adaptedfor operation with a single metallic circuit formed by the two reelwireswhich run to the operator. These two positions of the multiple switchwill be more 13o fully referred to hereinafter.

The wires g8 g3 and g'4 g4, which are connected with the members of thesteeringswitches G and G2 and which are represented Binding-post b3 isconnected by wires c3, 8o

Binding- [o5- here shown an electric propelling-motor M,`

on the drawings as running to port solenoids and"to starboardsolenoids," respectively, form parts of circuits which may control anysuitable iorm of steering mechanism operated by electricity, compressedair, or other agent.A The circuits from the switches l-l and H2 may inlike manner control any suitable propelling mechanism, though I havecontrolled directly bythe switches. When the ahead switch H is closed byits magnet, the terminals h3 and h4 from the motor are electricallyconnected to each other, as are also the terminals h5 and h6.' Currentfrom a battery B5 then causesa rotation of themotor` armature and thescrew of the torpedo in a forward-propelling direction. When the backswitchHiis closed and the ahead switch open, the terminals h3 and h5 areconnected to each other and the terminals h4 and-hare connected to eachother. The current then liows in the same direction as before throughthe tleld of the motor, but in a contrary direction through thearmature, so that Vthe di rection of rotation of the armature and thepropeller isreversed.

By referring to Fig. 4, in which a simplified arrangement of thecircuits is shown, the effeet of manipulating the two operating-wires clando' may readily be observed. The full lines indicate the parts whichare used in con'- trolling with two'separate operating-circuits havin awater return. When the wire c is (lippe into the water, a circuit iscompleted through said wire, the magnet R2, the wire il?, the bat-ter fB2, the ground-plate K, and the water. vrl e magnet R2 is therebyenergized, and its armature isl attracted, with the effect of closingthe vswitch S2 and completing a' circuit through the magnet T2 andbattery B'. Said magnet thereby becomes ener'- gized and attracts'itsarmature, which causes the trailer a4 to be moved forward a distancecorresponding to one tooth of the ratchet as. When the wire c2 isremoved from the water, the circuit through the magnet R2 is broken andthe armature of said magnet is retracted by a spring, with the `effectof breaking contact at the switch S2 and demagneliizing the cores ot themagnet T2. Aretracting-spring .then causes the armature of said magnetto ily'back, and the pawl a2, which is connected with an oscillating arma', is allowed to take a new tooth on the ratchet a3.' Thus each timethat the wire cgis dipped into the water the trailer a4 moves around' acertain distance. As' soon as said trailer rests on the contactpoint 5 acircuit is completed through the trailer-arm A2,V wire cl2, battery B8,magnet g?, and4 wire e9. The magnet in attracting its armature completesa circuit at the switch G2 and causes the torpedo to be steered tostarboard.

If instead of resting onthe contact 5 the trailer-arm should rest on thecontact-point 3, a circuitv would be completed through the trailer-armA2, wire c, battery B3, magnet g',

and wire c, and another circuit at the switch G', in which case thetorpedo would be steered to port. The operation of thc apparatus shownin the upper part of Fig. l is exactly 'similarto that of the apparatusjust described when the multiple switch is in its salt-water positionwith the exception that there arefour contact-points in the circlecorrespondfV ing to the point 5 in Fig. et insteadl of one and fourcorresponding to the contact 3.

Referring again to Fig. 4, it will be seen that the .relay-magnet R',ratchet-magnet T', and ratchet-trailer t4 in theAmotor-controllingapparatus are similar to the like parts .in the steering apparatus justdescribedaud are opi erated in asimilar step-by-step manner by dippingtl'e wire-r2 into the' water. Vtfhen the trailer 0,4 of the lower circlerest-s on the contact-pointfi, a circuitis completed through the magneth, which closes the switch H and arranges the motor-terminals in suchaway that the torpedo goes ahead. When the trailer rests on thecontact-point 5, a circuit is completed through the magnet h2, whichcloses the switch H21 and reverses the motor.

Whenthe trailer rests on the Contact?, thel stop-magnet h becomesenergized and the latches L L are retracted. The arrangement of thelower part of the apparatus (shown in Fig. l) is the same as that abovedescribed with the exception tha'tthere are in the circle two aheadcontacts, two back contacts, and four stop contacts. In Fig. 1, aspreviously explained, connections are shown running from the last fourlive points of the ICO water position, the above-mentioned last fourlive points of the motor-circle are connected to the ahead, stop, andback magnets in 4j ust the same order as are the first fou r points 3,5, '7, and 9, and when said switch is in the first or salt-waterposition the rudder-circleis ready for operation.l The'operator may newdip the wire c2 int-o the water and either'y send themach'ine ahead, orback, or stop it, as'

`its second or freshwater position the four points of the motor-circle1l, 13, l5, aud 1 are disconnected from the aheadn back, and stopmagnets andare connected with the magnets of the two steering-switchesll and .15, being connected to the sta1board-mag net,.and 13 and 1 beingconnected to the port he wishes, and the other wire r allows him*magnet. In this position the feed-wire,vvhich runs to the arm of thesteering-circle, is not connected to anything, so that no matter on whatpoint this arm is left no current iiows, and the steering-switches arenot operated from this source. This position of the multiple switch alsochanges the steering-reel wire from relayR2 directly to the negativeside of the battery. This latter change would be performed in- Fig. 4yby switching overat 'L03 to the dotted conductor c3. Now the relay R2and the steering-circle are dead, and the evolutions are performedentirely on the motor-circle. Supposing the trailer of the arm A to beat 9, the motor is going ahead, and the switch H is locked down and heldby the latch L. At l0 the torpedo is still going ahead; but all currenthas been cut oif from the switchboard. The next four points are nowsteering-points in this order: ll, starboard; 13, port; l5, starboard;vl, port. Having the steering-arm trailer on l0 and the torpedo goingstraight ahead, should it be desired to steer to starboard it isnecessary merely to.

. to the right suiliciently and then touches the wires together again.This brings the arm onto lf2, (a blankspot,) releases the starboardmechanism, and sends the topedo straight ahead again. All this time themachine has been going ahead, and it will continue to do so until theoperator works the arm of the motor-circle around to 3, where the latchL is pulledl back and the motor stopped.

Now when the arinoi` the motor-circle was at l0, with the machine goingahead, if instead of wishing to steer to starboard theoperator hadwished to steer to port he would merely have touched his two wirestogether three times in quick succession. This would have moved the armout to the starboardpoint, thento a blank or steady-point, and then tothe port-point at 13. As the time required to make these three steps isonly three-tenths of a second, the arm only rested on thestarboard-point a small fraction of a second, not long enough for thetorpedo even to get an impulse in this direction.

When operating in fresh water, there is arranged on the circle C aregular sequence of evolutions, all that a ship is put throughnamely,ahead, starboard, port, stop, and back. As it takes but a fraction overa sccond for an operator to cause the arm to move all the wayaround thecircle (just as quickly as he can touch two wires together) and as thegreatest interval through which he will ever have to move it in a hurryis eleven points, it follows that at any time within a seeond at most hecan have his torpedo started on the required evolution. A

When operating in salt water, there is a Amore perfect and quick controlof the torpedo,

Ior from 2 to 5 ou the steering-circle. Thus the greatest requirednumber -ot' quick moves 1s only six to bring the boat lution.

For the purpose of operating the Various to the desired evomagnets themain switchboard-battery in the torpedo may be conveniently divided intolive sections. The sections B and B operate the two ratchet-magnets,section B2 operates the relays R and R2, section B3 operates the magnetsof the two steering-switches, and section B4 operates the magnets of theahead, back, and stop switches.' Other batteries are used to directlycontrol or operate the steering and propelling mechanism. It is notnecessary, however, to divide the battery into different sections, forall of the switchboardmagnets may be operated from the same set orsection. all be designed and wound to work on the; same voltage.

In practice the relay-magnets R and R2, which are the only oneselectrically connected to the controlling-cable E, are wound with agreat length of very fine wire, so as to give a high resistance. It hasbeen found practicable to control the torpedo at distances up to elevenmiles in salt water, and therefore with this length of Wire on the reelthere is always the resistance of eleven miles of wire and sometimes asmuch as eleven miles of water between the torpedo and the operator. Theresistance of the relays is made about one hundred and thirty times thatof the water, and therefore the actual power available to operatethenrcan only fall 011e onehun dred-and-thirtieth of itsmaximuln. Asthey are given about fifty per cent. excess of power over that requiredit will be seen that there is a large margin of power to insu-rereliableworking. The large number of turns and high resistance of therelay-magnets admits of the use of a very light current and consequentlya simili controlling-cable.

'lhc currents used on the ratchetniagnets T and T2 may be comparativelystrong, if dcsircd; but i he currents which are used on thecontact-circles U and C2 are necessarily quite weak, as otherwise therewould he excessive sparking ,between the1 trailers and thecontact-points, which would fuse the contact members and would result inimpairing the smooth working of the ratchet-arms. ily my improvedarrangement and construction the main steeringand propelling currentsare carried through the members of thc switches G'.

f and ll" Il?, and the currents carried on thc rudder and motor circlesneed only be strong enough to operate thc magnets controlling theseswitches. l

Since the ratchet-arms A" and .Vaud trailers are obliged to work withbut little friction on their pivots and over the contact-points in Inthis case the magnets would ICO the circles, a strong throw given thembythe ratchet-magnets would be apt to throw them too far if a simpleratchet-and-pawl device were employed in this connection. -In order toobviate such uncertainty and secure a positive definite throw of theratchet-arms, l ernploya construction illustrated in Fig. 2, which showsa plan view of either of the ratchet mechanisms. udesignates theconnectingrod, which joins the end of the armature ot either of theratchet-magnets T' or T2 with a pivoted swinging arm c occupying thecenter of the circle of contact-points. Said arm carries-a pawl a?,which engages a ratchet'a, to which is atiixed the ratchet-armortrailerarm A or A-, carrying the trailer d4. The ratchet e3 isduplicated below the said arm, and a spring-detent (t5 is provided forthe lower ratchet to prevent back motion. As a means for preventing toogreat a throw of the trailer-arm l provide a ratchet as to revolve withsaid arm, a detent c7 to engage said ratchet, and a pin a8 on theswinging arm a to actuate said deten t. The teeth of the ratchet a6 areequal innumber to those of ratchet a3 and extend in the oppositedirection. lVhen the swinging arm a is drawn to the right bya pull fromthe magnet, the pawl a2 moves its ratchet ahead the distance of onetooth, and at the same time the hooked detent a7 is drawn oy a spring'a" into engagement with one of the teeth of the ratchet aG. The partsare so adjusted thatthis latter engagement takes place just as thetrailer-arm has moved its properdistance,and it is thereby preventedfrom going any farther. l/Vhen the swinging arm returns to its initialposition, the pin as causes the return of the detent a?, and the pawl c2takes a new tooth. By means of the above construction a positive lockedthrow is obtained.

From the foregoing description of my invention it will be seen that Ihave provided an effective system of control for torpedoes and otherself-propelling dirigible vessels.

I do not wish to be conned to the exact construction herein described,since it is obvious that to those skilled in mechanical and electricalarts many modiiications will be suggested which conewithin the scope ofmy invention. For instance, it will vbe readily understood that anapparatusconld be constructed in which the steering-circle C2 would beentirely dispensed with and both steering and propelling mechanismcontrolled, as hereinbefore described, from one circle in both Jfreshand salt water. ln torpedoes intended fornse in salt water only one ofthe wires in the cable E could in this case be dispensed with and thecontrollingcirc uitoperated on a water-return. Again, although thesimplest method of operatingthe controlling-circuits consists intouching the two wires e2 and r2 together or dipping them into the wateritis obvious that a simple switchboard or key could be arranged at theshore end of the cable for making and breaking contact. r-

Having thus explained the nature ot' my invention and described anembodiment of the same without, however, having attempted to set forthall the forms in which it may be made or all the modes of its use, Ideclare that what I claim is- 1. -In a vesselhaving propelling andsteering mechanisms operated by power generated or stored within thevessel, electromagnetic devices for controlling said mechanisms, thesaid devices being operated through circuits contained enti-rely withinthe vessel, a stepby-step mechanism contained Within the vessel formaking and breaking said circuits to Y actuate the controlling devices,and means' operated by the making and breaking'of one or moreindependent circuits at a distance from the vessel for actuating thesaid stepby-stepmechanism'.

2. In a vessel having apropelling mechan-iv ism operated by powergenerated o'r stored within the vessel, electromagnetic devices forcontrolling said mechanism, the said devices being operated throughcircuits contained entirely within the vessel, a step-by-step mechanismcontained within the vessel for making and breaking said circuits toactuate the controlling devices, and means operated by the .making andbreaking of a single circuit at a distance from the vessel, foractuating the said step-by-step mechanism.

3. In a vessel having a propelling mechanism and a steering mechanismoperated by power generated or stored within the vessel, twostep-by-step devices carried by the vossel for controlling saidmechanisms and operated by the making and breaking of two circuits at adistance from'the vess'el.

el.. A device of the character specified, comprising means containedwithin a vessel for electrically governing a propelling mechanism, meanstherein for electrically governing a steering mechanism, and twoelectrical conductors connected with the respective means, forcommunicating from a distance with the Vessel, together with provisionswhereby the said conductors may become portions of two circuits having awater-return, or may become portions of the saine circuit in which oneconductor is the return for the other.

5. A device of the character specified,com prising means containedwithin a vessel for governing a propelling mechanism, means the-rein forgoverning a steering mechanism,

IOO

IOS

respective means, a trailer for cach series of points, devices formoving said trailers successively upon the several contact-points,` twometallic electrical conductors for operating the said devices bymanipulations at a dis# tance from the Vessel, and means whereby thesaid conductors may be caused to operate said devices independently onseparate circuits hav'ing a Water-return, or may be caused to controlboth the propelling and steering means by operating one of said deviceson one metallic circuit.

7. A torpedo-controlling device comprising means contained within thetorpedo for electricallygoverning a propelling mechanism, means thereinfor electrically governing a steering mechanism', two series ofelectrical contact-points having connections with the respective meanscorresponding to the sev-v eral evolutions of the torpedo, a multipleswitch adapted to have positions whereby the connections may betransferredso that both propelling and steering evolutions arecontrolled from one series-oi contact-points, a trailer for each seriesof pointsanddevices for moving said trailers successively upon theseveral contact-points.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specicatiomin thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses, this 27th day of August, A. D.1897.

WALTER D. LITCHFIELD.

Vitnesses:

C. F. BROWN, E. BATCHELDER.

